Andrew Slaidins, Author at The Rockpit

LIVE REVIEW: RED HOT SUMMER TOUR – Series 2

28 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

Bendigo Racecourse is the site for the opening day/night of The Red Hot Summer Series 2 and what an amazing site to hold it on. I have never been here before but will definitely be […]

INTERVIEW: QUIET RIOT’s KELLY GARNI talks about the early years with Randy Rhoads & more

28 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

Randy Rhoads’ name is possibly one of the best and most influential players of a genre. Apart from Edward Van Halen there are few that have inspired as many bedroom guitar plays and turned them […]

LIVE REVIEW: THE SATISFACTION – The Bleed Tour: Live in Melbourne

25 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

Who would have thought that on a balmy Thursday April evening you could find a band that simply blows you away. I had been given the word on good advice that The Satisfaction were a […]

INTERVIEW: WEDNESDAY 13 talks about new album ‘Mid Death Crisis’

23 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

The ghoul of cool is back with new music and as you would have already seen and heard. Wednesday has a new album ‘Mid Death Crisis’ out on April 25 and we sat down to […]

INTERVIEW: BURTON C BELL (Ex-Fear Factory) talks about his career, new music and tour expectations

21 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

The man who fronted Fear Factory for over two decades is releasing new music and hitting the road which includes a visit to Australia this June for four intimate shows. With two singles out we […]

INTERVIEW: RYAN KEY & SEAN MACKIN from US Rockers YELLOWCARD

18 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

Yellowcard are a band that captivated us with their debut major label release and the reason for the current tour and this interview. The album is ‘Ocean Avenue’ and it’s 20th Anniversary is being celebrated […]

LIVE REVIEW: TOTO With Special Guest Christopher Cross – Dogs of Oz Tour

17 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

This has been a show that has been marked in my calendar since I first got word of it and since then have been counting down the days until tonight. Some might call it a […]

INTERVIEW: LIFE PILOT drummer ELI GREEN talks about debut album

16 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

South Australian Metalcore band Life Pilot released their debut self-titled album in late March and are about to head out on an eight date national tour starting late April. I caught up with drummer Eli […]

INTERVIEW: Ben Wysocki from THE FRAY – Australian Tour Interview

1 April 2025 Andrew Slaidins

The Fray are returning to Australia for a series of shows celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their “How To Save A Life” album. We caught up with Drummer Ben Wysocki for a chat ahead of […]

LIVE REVIEW: ROAR MUSIC FESTIVAL – Day One Featuring Wild Gloriosa, Charlie Lane, Ruby Mae, Charlie Needs Braces & Kathleen Halloran

9 March 2025 Andrew Slaidins

The first night of ROAR Festival saw us nestled into Grey Street, St. Kilda’s hidden gem George Lane, an intimate and quirky classic wine bar that houses regular intimate shows. What a perfect location to […]

LIVE REVIEW: KNOTFEST 2025 – Melbourne

8 March 2025 Andrew Slaidins

This glorious last day of Summer stared out before gates opened with an invitation to view and visit the Slipknot Museum. The Museum itself is nothing new to the festival. Last year I was also […]

LIVE REVIEW: MELBOURNE GUITAR SHOW 2025 – A Look at Day One

5 March 2025 Andrew Slaidins

Saturday March 1st saw day one of the return of the Melbourne Guitar Show after a taking a twelve-month hiatus. A change of location to the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds also showed another change in the […]

INTERVIEW: Zach Householder from WHITECHAPEL

28 February 2025 Andrew Slaidins

The Rockpit caught up with Zach Householder, guitarist for Whitechapel who are about to unleash their most brutal offering ‘Hymns In Dissonance’ in their twenty year career. We spoke about writing and the idea behind […]

INTERVIEW: UDO & SVEN DIRKSCHNEIDER Talk About ‘Balls to the Wall Reloaded’ And More

27 February 2025 Andrew Slaidins

When you get a chance to sit down and chat with the frontman of a band that heavily influenced your journey into metal you simply don’t say no. In 1983 a relatively unknown German band […]

INTERVIEW: KRAM From SPIDERBAIT – The Lookout Festival Interview

21 February 2025 Andrew Slaidins

Spiderbait are one of those bands that became burned into the Australian psyche in the 1990’s. They could do no wrong, they were all over Triple J on high rotation, regulars on Recovery and major […]

LIVE REVIEW: TIM ‘RIPPER’ OWENS with Special Guests Dead City Ruins & Rawtism

19 February 2025 Andrew Slaidins

For anyone who knows who Tim Ripper Owens is, you will be familiar with the fact that he is Heavy Metal royalty. If you aren’t, then it will become evident quickly but I’m jumping the […]

ALBUM REVIEW: SISTERS DOLL – Scars

19 February 2025 Andrew Slaidins

2024 saw the beginning of a new era for this Western Australian band of brothers. 2024 was also the year where in this new era three became four. “Scars” is the bands third full studio […]

INTERVIEW: Morgan Lander from KITTIE

18 February 2025 Andrew Slaidins

We caught up with Canadian Vocalist & Guitarist Morgan Lander of Kittie just ahead of the bands tour of Australia with Ukrainian metal juggernauts Jinjer which starts this week in Brisbane. This tour has been […]